The annual conservation camp for the Estevan Wildlife Federation (EWF) has become a highlight for the organization.
After all, it’s a chance for the EWF, its volunteers and others to teach young people about the outdoors and how to appreciate wild animals.
But this year’s event was even more special, because it was the opportunity for the EWF to show off its new clubhouse.
The clubhouse was completed just in time for the camp earlier this month. EWF member Wanda Michel said they are quite excited about the new facility, and people in the community are also happy it has been completed.
“The one we had was many, many years old,” Michel said in an interview with Lifestyles. “It was not in the greatest shape. We considered a lot of different alternatives, but one of the things that we focused on the most was our youth camp.”
While they didn’t need the building to be finished to host this year’s camp, it was still good to have the project wrapped up.
“If we ever had inclement weather, we didn’t have a place to facilitate our young campers.”
With the weather they had one morning, with some lightning and hail, the kids could be indoors.
The old building was also crammed during events. It served its purpose for smaller events hosted by the EWF, such as the Opening Day Walleye Classic and other activities. But now the building can provide so much more.
Their previous clubhouse was torn down last year after the conservation camp, and they started putting up the new structure on the same site in the fall. Contractors came in this year to work on the interior.
Michel didn’t know how big the old building was, but the new one is much larger at 3,200 square feet.
“The old building, we had an old trailer that sat outside for washrooms, but now we have washrooms inside, a large kitchen inside and of course the common area that can be used for our meetings, can be used in youth camp.”
The EWF also has the ability to rent out the facility for other events, so it can accommodate banquets, wedding receptions and family reunions.
Michel expects 2020 will be a pretty busy year for the new clubhouse.
People have been extremely excited to see it open, and have been impressed with what they have seen.
“When parents came to drop off their kids at camp this year, they got to take a bit of the tour of the building, and are really thrilled with the size of it, and everything that’s in there. Everybody was quite excited.”
Working with the committee members and the executive was great throughout the process, she said. They have had so many volunteers and local businesses who have pitched in with advice, labour and time.
“We didn’t want to rush into it, but if we needed a backup plan, there were local businesses that were willing to step in and find a facility we could have used out there.”
So many people volunteered to help them move everything out of the old building before it was demolished and into the new building once it was complete.
The clubhouse is part of a site that has the EWF’s gun range, which is used by a number of organizations.
“It’s going to accommodate people who come and use the range for their own groups, and they’ll be able to use the building as well for a meeting place. It’s just all around a great building and a great facility>”
There is still some work that needs to be completed around the building, including some ground work and some work in the kitchen.
